Can one use the ruse, as I always used at Don Muang airport, of going to the, I believe 4th level at Suvarnabhumi Airport, departures area to get an outgoing taxi? Or is the high speed rail link from the airport to City Airport Terminal in Makkasan, planned completion date is November 2007, available? The City Airport Terminal network was to be connected to BTS to (Bangkok Mass Transit System) Sukhumvit Line and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit. If so I'm laughing as I always stay in the excellent Royal Asia Lodge, soi 8 Sukhumvit.

My last trip in December, you can get taxi at departures although they can't hang around for long (boys in brown with sirens tell them to hop it).

Double-check you have all your possessions when leaving the taxi as there isn't a record made of your journey (unlike at Don Muang)

quote:

Or is the high speed rail link available?

Packpao

Last visit we went up to departures and you always have a great choice of taxi's, plus np waiting , we always choose an estate version so you can get more luggage/pushchairs in Plus driver is always happy to get a quick return fare without the hassle of driving around to arrivals.

We came back from Thailand a week or so ago, and no - the rail link is not complete yet and no chance of it being complete this year, according to my wife and she is a Thai Civil Engineer and knows people.....

As for Taxis, we also took the Departure level option and grabbed a cab without a problem. They dont hang around but they do "cruise" real slow..... seems that Gate 4 is the optimum exit to use.

Have a great trip

Thanks to all for the advice. My g/f is a Captain in the Thai Royal Navy but has still been refused a visa to the UK because "she hasn't shown ties to Thailand" but then we all know (the UK's privatised department ) "Visas r Us" are only there to make money and to make live difficult.
I'll try to sort out the new airport and go upstairs for the cab "home".

quote:

Originally posted by Derek:
Thanks to all for the advice. My g/f is a Captain in the Thai Royal Navy but has still been refused a visa to the UK because "she hasn't shown ties to Thailand" but then we all know (the UK's privatised department ) "Visas r Us" are only there to make money and to make live difficult.
I'll try to sort out the new airport and go upstairs for the cab "home".

quote:

Thanks to all for the advice. My g/f is a Captain in the Thai Royal Navy but has still been refused a visa to the UK because "she hasn't shown ties to Thailand" but then we all know (the UK's privatised department ) "Visas r Us" are only there to make money and to make live difficult.

Blimey! She's a captain in the navy and hasn't shown ties to Thailand? That is utterly mad. It looks like nothing short of buying Manchester City will get anyone a visa nowadays.

By the way, the reasons that there is a licensed taxi rank in arrivals are (a) to provide a source of corruption for AOT but also (b) because some years ago several tourists were robbed or murdered by taxi drivers from the airport. The taxi rank supervisor takes your details and the ID of the cab driver, making it safer.

Ian

Has anyone used the official limo service from the new airport? How much does it cost? I used to like the Thai Airways limos from Don Muang, for only 600 Baht they were excellent value by world standards.

Ian

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:
By the way, the reasons that there is a licensed taxi rank in arrivals are (a) to provide a source of corruption for AOT but also (b) because some years ago several tourists were robbed or murdered by taxi drivers from the airport. The taxi rank supervisor takes your details and the ID of the cab driver, making it safer.

Ian

I was going to ask what the advantage of going to departures to get a cab was? As for the above, I remember that and when travelling alone, used the limo service as a precaution.

quote:

I remember that and when travelling alone, used the limo service as a precaution.

Agreed caller,

and :-

Dao and I got ripped off going from the airport to her sisters in Silom despite her asking the driver several times why he was taking this route, reply was "roadworks" but it added about 400 THB to the trip which we had done before so limo's for us every time since

Motto if they rip off their own what chance farang?
colin 244

You save 50 baht by going upstairs. Not a killing, granted, but at least its less money to AOT and chums.

There's one 'official' limo company (a monopoly for the AOT) and many many unofficial limos. If you don't get the 'Taxi sir, taxi sir' the minute you walk out of arrivals, you haven't arrived at Suvarnabhumi!

I'm not a fan of the'limos.' Fares are pretty expensive as the airport is so far out and half of what you pay is the dead milage and tollway for his return journey back to base.

Packpao

Get the bus or at least get off the airport, I wonder where those mini buses are going back to from up stairs ?
Back to base empty ???.

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:
Has anyone used the official limo service from the new airport? How much does it cost? I used to like the Thai Airways limos from Don Muang, for only 600 Baht they were excellent value by world standards.

Ian

They weren't when I tried them. Old Mercedes 190Es that had definitely seen better days.